The British Science Fiction Association (BSFA) was founded in 1958 by a group of British science fiction fans, authors, publishers and booksellers, in order to encourage science fiction in every form. It is an open membership organisation costing £29 (39,19 euros/44,64 USD) per year for UK residents and £20 for the unwaged. The first president of the BSFA was Brian Aldiss. Stephen Baxter is the current President. The BSFA currently publishes two magazines, sent to all members:
Vector - This is the reviews and criticism journal of the BSFA. Published six times a year.
Focus - This is the BSFA’s writers magazine. Published twice a year.
Matrix was the news magazine, but ceased publication.
The BSFA Awards are presented annually by the British Science Fiction Association, based on a vote of BSFA members and members of the British national SF convention (Eastercon : Dysprosium, the 2015 Eastercon, the 66th British National Science Fiction Convention, 3-6 April 2015, at the Park Inn Hotel, Heathrow, UK).
The BSFA Awards are anglophone and anglo-centric prizes dedicated to the english language SF works mainly of the AngloSFere (UK and it’s former colonies : USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa). There are a few exceptions as Aliette de Bodard and Benjanun Sriduangkaew but both write in English language.
The BSFA also nominates two members to the panel of the Arthur C. Clarke Award.
BSFA announced the following shortlisted nominees for the BSFA Awards 2014.
„Voting will now be opened to BSFA members and attending members of Eastercon. The winner will be announced at a ceremony at the 66th Eastercon aka Dysprosium, taking place at the Park Inn, Heathrow from 3-6 April 2015. Once again, BSFA members will receive a commemorative BSFA Awards booklet with details of all the nominees.”
Best Novel
The Race, Nina Allan, UK (Newcon)
Europe in Autumn, Dave Hutchinson, UK (Solaris)
Wolves, Simon Ings, UK (Gollancz)
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, Claire North (pen name of Catherine Webb), UK, (Orbit)
The Moon King, Neil Williamson, UK (Newcon)
Cuckoo Song, Frances Hardinge, UK (Macmillan)
Lagoon, Nnedi Okorafor, USA (Hodder)
Ancillary Sword, Anne Leckie, USA (Orbit)
Best Short Fiction
“The Honey Trap“, Ruth E.J. Booth, UK (La Femme)
“The Mussel Eater“, Octavia Cade, New Zealand (The Book Smugglers)
“Scale Bright“, Benjanun Sriduangkaew, Thailand (Immersion)
Best Artwork
Cover for Adam Roberts’s Bête, Blacksheep (Gollancz)
Cover for Simon Ings’s Wolves, Jeffery Alan Love (Gollancz)
Cover for Sophia McDougall’s Mars Evacuees, Andy Potts (Egmont)
“The Wasp Factory” (sculpture), Tessa Farmer (after Iain Banks)
Cover for Kameron Hurley’s Mirror Empire, Richard Anderson (Angry Robot)
Best Non-Fiction
“Call and Response”, Paul Kincaid, UK (Beccon Books)
“Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers in the Great War”, Edward James (fantastic-writers-and-the-great-war.com)
“Deep Forests and Manicured Gardens: A Look at Two New Short Fiction Magazines”, Jonathan McCalmont (Ruthless Culture)
“The State of British SF and Fantasy: A Symposium”, Niall Harrison, ed. (Strange Horizons)
„Greg Egan”, Karen Burnham, USA (University of Illinois Press)
The awards will be voted on by members of BSFA and the British Annual Science Fiction Convention (Eastercon). The winners will be announced at the 66th Eastercon, Dysprosium, April 3-6, 2015 at the Park Inn, Heathrow.
For more information, see the BSFA website.